East Baton Rouge parish residents can place their Christmas trees on the curb for recycling between Jan. 6 and Jan. 16 once lights, decorations and the stand are removed. The trees should not be put into any type of disposal bag. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Michael Paulsen )

Time to toss your Christmas tree? How, when Baton Rouge-area residents can put theirs out

Curbside pickup also available

East Baton Rouge parish residents can place their Christmas trees on the curb for recycling between Jan. 6 and Jan. 16 once lights, decorations and the stand are removed. The trees should not be put into any type of disposal bag. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Michael Paulsen )

With presents unwrapped and the desire for eggnog satiated for another year, Baton Rouge residents are asked to not throw out their Christmas tree with the trash.

Instead, East Baton Rouge Parish residents — except for those in Baker and Zachary — can recycle their trees by cleaning up a few simple things and then putting the trees out on the curb. There also are various drop-off points, for those people who prefer.

The trees can be placed on the curb for recycling between Jan. 6 and Jan. 16 once lights, decorations and the stand are removed. The trees should not be put into any type of disposal bag.

“We average about 80 tons of collection (a) year,” said Susan Hamilton, director of recycling for East Baton Rouge Parish.

The trees are sent to the woody waste recycling center operated by Natural Resources Recovery Inc. and turned into mulch sold as Nature’s Best.

Sometimes the trees are picked up in a garbage truck, but they are still on their way to be recycled, Hamilton said.

“Typically the trees are collected on the trash collection day but not always,” Hamilton said.

In addition to trees, wrapping paper and cardboard boxes can be recycled in the curbside bins, but no tissue paper or foil paper is accepted.

Drop-off stations will be open Friday through Jan. 31 at the following locations:

Independence Park, 7500 Independence Blvd.

Highland Road Park, 14024 Highland Road.

Kathy Drive Park, enter off O’Neal Lane by Team Toyota.

Flannery Road Park, 801 S. Flannery.

Pecue Wood Recycling Facility, 9455 Pecue Lane.

LSU, Skip Bertman Drive in the lot across from the veterinarian school.

Because there was no curbside recycling on Christmas Day, the makeup days are Friday and Saturday.

The makeup days for New Year’s Day are Jan. 2 and Jan. 3.

Recycling carts should be left at the curb both days to give crews a chance to pick up the bins.

The recycling drop-off for apartment tenants and small businesses will be held Jan. 17 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Louisiana Department of Insurance, 6945 Florida Blvd., but no Christmas trees are accepted at this drop-off.